The La Brea Association for Innovation brought smiles to the faces of 110 children on Thursday, as members distributed school bags and stationery at the Sobo Community Centre, Sobo Village, La Brea.
The back-to-school drive, part of the association’s ongoing commitment to education, aimed to equip students with the tools they need for the new term.
Speaking to Guardian Media, chairman of the association, Renwick Campbell, said the group had deep roots in the La Brea community.
“We believe that education is our main pillar. Through our after-school and SEA programmes, we recognised the needs of the children in our community. That’s when we decided to reach out to people from La Brea who are now living in the United States, specifically in New York and Brooklyn,” he said.
Campbell explained how the outreach led to a partnership with Teen Voices and the La Brea Association in New York.
“Thanks to their generosity, we were able to gather over 100 book bags and 1,000 pieces of stationery. This allows us to help many students in La Brea,” he said.
Campbell emphasised the importance of community involvement in the initiative.
“We work closely with schools, principals, and parents to identify those who need help the most,” he said.
“We received a list of 200 names but we only have the means to assist 110 students at this time. However, we expect another batch of supplies in two weeks to help a further 100 students.”
For parents like Rochelle Doldron, the assistance has been invaluable.
“This programme has been a real blessing for my family,” she said. “I have three children in secondary school, and the support from the La Brea Association has made a huge difference, especially for my son and niece who passed for Point Fortin East Secondary and Fyzabad Anglican Secondary, and I’m so grateful for the help we received.”
Campbell, along with association director Julius Wilson and family liaison officer Akuma Jerome supervised the distribution. Another batch of stationery is to be distributed over the next two weeks.
